Without Ron
by BoggledMuggle313
Summary: With Ron gone, how will Harry and Hermione continue their friendship normally? Very dramatic, I s'pose. Please read!


Without Ron  
  
"Harry!" Hermione screamed as pain from being hit by the Cruciatus curse soared up and down her body-burning her bones and making her cry out with pain.  
  
But it was too late. Harry wasn't going to have enough time to run. Through squinted eyes she could see Voldemort raise his wand, and point it at Harry.  
  
Harry turned around and saw the evil smile on Voldemort's face as he started saying a curse.  
  
The next second, a body ran toward Harry, and staggered in front of him. His eyes widened. He realized who it was and what was happening a second before it happened.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Harry's yell seemed to ring out through the sky, along with a rushing sound, bright green light, and the haunting laugh of Voldemort.  
  
Then another sound. Like a slow motion, soundless explosion.  
  
Through Hermion's eyes time seemed to stop, as she saw a great force of power shoot itself at Voldemort.  
  
A huge gust of wind blew, and dust rose and mingled in with the whirling wind. Hermione and Harry were forced painfully to the ground.  
  
The last thing Hermione saw was the horrified look on Voldemort's face and the last thing she heard was a shrill scream that chilled her marrow.  
  
It was the sight of Lord Voldermort-defeated at last.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry opened his eye weary. He couldn't tell where he was. He looked up and saw no ceiling. Just the dark, star-less skies.  
  
What's happened?, Harry thought, What am I doing outside?  
  
He tried to turn his head to the left, but his head hurt and his neck felt sore.  
  
He then saw broken pieces. Wood, statues.  
  
Then everything came whirling back and banged onto him.  
  
With a sort of a stifled yell he sat up. He saw Ron near his feet, sprawled on the ground. It was like history repeating itself-over and over again. He saw picture after picture. The body of Cedric Diggory, dead. The body of Percy Weasley, dead. The figure of Rubeus Hagrid, dead. And the body of Albus Dumbledore, dead.  
  
Death. It was something Harry had witnessed several times the last two years. He hated it. He couldn't take this again.  
  
Harry shut his eyes tightly, wishing to see something else. He opened them. No, he still saw Ron sprawled on the ground.  
  
Harry felt violently sick. He could feel his little amount of dinner churning in his stomach.  
  
This couldn't be happening. He had been so sure he had been protecting his friends, all this time.  
  
Tears stung in his eyes, and he sat there, as tear after tear rolled down his cheeks and fell lifelessly to the ground.  
  
* * *  
  
A few meters away from Harry, Hermione came to conscious. Unlike Harry, she immediately knew what was happening.  
  
She saw Harry kneeling down next to Ron's body. Hermione sat up and stayed still, she knew what she was going to see-she didn't need to go any nearer.  
  
But she couldn't leave Harry alone! He needed her. But she couldn't- she couldn't bear to go any nearer. She had only witnessed death once- Rubeus Hagrid's, a year ago. She had sat next to him until he had died, trying her best to sound positive. She had cried and cried after that. Nightmares started to haunt her, just like Harry's after Cedric had died. She didn't want that again. She was scared.  
  
All the same, she stood up, and pains hot through her body. She was badly hurt, she could feel.  
  
She staggered up to Harry and knelt to the ground next to him. "Oh Harry." she choked out, "He's not.not." a sob escaped her lips.  
  
"He's dead, Hermione." Harry said flatly. "Ron's dead."  
  
His words shot through their hearts as the truth sunk in. Their best friend was gone.  
  
Hermione grabbed Harry's arm tightly. They sat there, holding dearly for each other, wishing with all will that they could just sit there until Death overtook them also.  
  
After a few minutes, Harry spoke with great difficulty, "We should go." he said hoarsely, "Lupin and Sirius is still lying there, hurt."  
  
Hermione tried to nod, but she was shaking uncontrollably.  
  
"Try.try not to think about it for a while," Harry advised awkwardly, "That's what I'm trying to do."  
  
Hermione nodded, trying to stop crying. She knew Harry was trying his best to sound alert. And her crying was not helping. He was so brave, and she felt ashamed of herself for being such a coward.  
  
With a steady hand, Hermione pulled out her wand, and muttered a few well- chosen words, which lifted Ron's body onto a stretcher.  
  
They slowly and silently made themselves out of the chamber and through the tunnels back to Hogwarts, out of this hiding place of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. 


End file.
